Slipped vertebrae/ Spondylolysthesis
Overview
A common problem, neck pain affects most adults at some point of time in their life. It can involve just the neck and shoulders, or may stretch down an arm, with the pain being either a dull ache or like an electric shock in your arm. Other symptoms like a feeling of numbness or muscle weakness in an arm, help in pinpointing the cause of the neck pain.
Causes
Some causes of neck pain include:
- Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis)
- Fibromyalgia
- Cervical disc herniation
- Muscle strain
- Cervical spondylosis (disease causing the breakdown of joints)
- Poor posture – while sleeping or working
- Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease)
- Spinal stenosis
- Trauma from accidents or falls
- Whiplash
Treatment
Most of the time, neck pain goes away by itself in a couple of days. If at all, only a little conservative treatment may be required. Neck pain that persists over several weeks usually responds to exercise, stretching, physical therapy, massage and watchful waiting. Only in very few cases are steroid injections or surgery indicated.
Try these self-care tips to help relieve the discomfort:
- Posture care. If you work on a computer all day, make sure your back is well-supported and that the monitor is at comfortable eye level.
- Hot or cold. A hot water bath can help relax your strained muscles. Apply an ice pack to your neck for 15 minutes at least 3 times a day.
- Stretch : Turn your neck gently from side to side and up and down to give your neck muscles a work out.
- Massage : Rub the painful areas in your neck to help relieve muscle spasms.
